Business Economics, BBA

Program Description

The Business Economics program integrates economics with courses in marketing, management, accounting, finance and quantitative analysis.  Economics as a discipline is positioned at the intersection of social science and business, so has a great relevance for an extremely wide range of business and public policy issues, thereby providing our successful graduates with great career prospects in both the private and public sectors.  By combining the study of economics (the scientific study of how society manages its scarce resources) and business, our degree provides a strong theoretical and professional basis for a successful and rewarding career.  Business economics majors gain the skills to gather and analyze data for solving problems affecting companies, governments and non-profit organizations. The program includes basic courses in all business disciplines as well as in economics, and develops the skills that graduates need to work in a wide range of industries. The skillset includes understanding of the incentives that affect human behavior, the operation of markets and the strategic decisions of businesses and governments, both locally and internationally. 

Career Possibilities:  Many students choose to further their studies in graduate school, especially in business and law schools. Career possibilities for students who graduate with a major in business economics include: Data Analytics, Strategic Pricing and Modeling, Financial Analysis and Modeling, Operations Research and Management, Labor and Employment Relations, Banking and Investment Banking; Treasury and Securities, International Trade and Logistics, Commodity Specialist, Marketing Research, Consumer Goods Research and Analysis, Business and Economic Consulting, Insurance and Financial Advising, High School Teaching and Community Education, Government Work; Labor Statistics, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, other governmental agencies.

BBA Student Learning Goals and Objectives

  • G1. To Be Effective Communicators
    • CG1.O1 – Demonstrate the ability to write professionally
    • CG1.O2 – Prepare and deliver professional presentations
    • CG1.O3 – Practice professional interactions
  • G2. To Be Competent in Business Practices
    • CG2.O1 – Demonstrate key concepts in business disciplines
    • CG2.O2 – Use technology to analyze relevant data
  • G3. To Be Good Decision Makers
    • CG3.O1 – Identify key factors for decision making
    • CG3.O2 – Analyze alternative solutions and make a decision
  • G4. To Be Good Citizens
    • CG4.O1 – Identify ethical concepts

In addition, all Economics Majors will demonstrate the ability to identify (valid, reliable, and important) information relevant to the issue being studied.

BBA Business Economics Online Completion

The Business Economics program integrates economics with courses in marketing, management, accounting, finance, and quantitative analysis.  Economics as a discipline is positioned at the intersection of social science and business, so has a great relevance for an extremely wide range of business and public policy issues, thereby providing our successful graduates with great career prospects in both the private and public sectors.  By combining the study of economics (the scientific study of how society manages its scarce resources) and business, our degree provides a strong theoretical and professional basis for a successful and rewarding career.  Business economics majors gain the skills to gather and analyze data for solving problems affecting companies, governments, and non-profit organizations. The program includes basic courses in all business disciplines, as well as in economics, and develops the skills that graduates need to work in a wide range of industries. The skillset includes understanding of the incentives that affect human behavior, the operation of markets and the strategic decisions of businesses and governments, both locally and internationally. An On-Campus format provides a mix of online, face-to-face, and blended courses.  An Online completion format provides 60 hours of online courses. The course schedule for the Online BBA Business Economics option may differ from on-campus course offerings.

Entry Requirements

Applicants who have completed 42 hours with a GPA of 2.0 or higher may be accepted into the Online Business Economics BBA Completion Program.  Students may transition into the upper division course sequence as they complete the University Core Curriculum and 60 hours including the following courses or their equivalents:

ACCT 2301Financial Accounting *3
ACCT 2302Managerial Accounting *3
ECON 2302Microeconomics Principles *3
MISY 2305Computer Applications in Business *3
MATH 1325Calculus for Business & Social Sciences (Higher level mathematics course may be accepted as substitute with approval)3
Non-Business elective3
All Business majors are required to complete the following courses as part of their University Core Curriculum Program:
ECON 2301Macroeconomics Principles *3
MATH 1324Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences (Higher level mathematics course may be accepted as a substitute with approval)3
*

Online offering

General Requirements for BBA Degree

Requirements Credit Hours
Core Curriculum Program 42
First-Year Seminars (when applicable)1 0-2
Business Core 45
Economics Major Requirements 24
Electives 9
Total Credit Hours 120-122
1

Full-time, first time in college students are required to take the first-year seminars.

Program Requirements

Full-time, First-Year Students
UNIV 1101University Seminar I *1
UNIV 1102University Seminar II *1
Core Curriculum Program
University Core Curriculum42
Business majors are required to complete as part of their University Core Curriculum Program:
Macroeconomics Principles *
Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences 1
Business Core
BUSI 0011COB Orientation 2,*0
ACCT 2301Financial Accounting3
ACCT 2302Managerial Accounting3
BLAW 3310Legal Environment of Business *3
ECON 2302Microeconomics Principles *3
FINA 3310Financial Management *3
MATH 1325Calculus for Business & Social Sciences 13
MGMT 3310Principles of Management3
MGMT 3315Business Communications *3
MGMT 4388Business Strategy *3
MISY 2305Computer Applications in Business *3
MISY 3310Management Information Systems Concepts *,^3
MKTG 3310Principles of Marketing *3
OPSY 4314Operations Management *3
ORMS 3310Data Analysis and Statistics *3
International Business Course
Select one of the following depending on major:3
Multinational Entities: Accounting and Consolidations (for Accounting Major) 3,*
International Economic Issues (for Business Economics Major)
International Finance (for Finance Major)
Multinational Management (for Management Major) *
International Business (for all other Majors)
Economics Major Requirements
ECON 3310Intermediate Macroeconomics3
ECON 3311Intermediate Microeconomics3
ECON 3312Money and Banking3
ECON 3322Managerial Economics3
ECON 4310Introduction to Econometrics3
Economics Electives
Select 9 hours from the following:9
Environmental Economics
Public Finance
Labor Economics
Economics of European Integration
History of Economic Thought *
Current Topics in Economics
Directed Individual Study *
Internship in Economics
Electives
Upper-level Business Elective3
Business Elective3
Non-Business or Business Elective3
Total Hours122
1

Higher level mathematics course may be accepted as a substitute with approval.

2

All Business Majors and Minors must complete BUSI 0011 COB Orientation (0 sch) before or during their first semester enrolled in upper-division Business courses.

3

ACCT 3315 Multinational Entities: Accounting and Consolidations (3 sch) may be taken as either International Business Course or as an Accounting Elective but not both.

*

Online offering

^

Blended offering

Note:

Course prerequisites are strictly enforced.

General Requirements for BBA Online Completion

Requirements Credit Hours
Business Core 30
Business Economics Major Requirements 15
Business Economics Electives 9
Business Electives 6
Total Credit Hours 60

Online Program Requirements

(all available Online)

Business Core
BUSI 0011COB Orientation 1,*0
BLAW 3310Legal Environment of Business *3
FINA 3310Financial Management *3
MGMT 3310Principles of Management *3
MGMT 3315Business Communications *3
MGMT 4388Business Strategy *3
MISY 3310Management Information Systems Concepts *,^3
MKTG 3310Principles of Marketing *3
OPSY 4314Operations Management *3
ORMS 3310Data Analysis and Statistics *3
MGMT 4315Multinational Management *3
Business Economics Major
ECON 3310Intermediate Macroeconomics *3
ECON 3311Intermediate Microeconomics *3
ECON 3312Money and Banking *3
ECON 3322Managerial Economics *3
ECON 4310Introduction to Econometrics *3
Business Economics Electives
ECON 3315International Economic Issues *3
ECON 3320Public Finance *3
ECON 3335Labor Economics *3
Business Electives
Upper-Level Business Elective3
Business Elective3
Total Hours60
1

All Business Majors and Minors must complete BUSI 0011 COB Orientation (0 sch) before or during their first semester enrolled in upper-division Business courses.

*

Online offering

^

Blended offering

Course Sequencing

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallHours
BUSI 0011 COB Orientation 0
Creative Arts Core Requirement 3
ECON 2301 Macroeconomics Principles 3
HIST 1301 U.S. History to 1865 3
ENGL 1301 Writing and Rhetoric I 3
Life & Physical Science Core Requirement 3
UNIV 1101 University Seminar I 1
 Hours16
Spring
COMM 1311 Foundation of Communication 3
HIST 1302 U.S. History Since 1865 3
ECON 2302 Microeconomics Principles 3
Language, Philosophy & Culture Core Requirement 3
MATH 1324 Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences 3
UNIV 1102 University Seminar II 1
 Hours16
Second Year
Fall
ACCT 2301 Financial Accounting 3
Business Elective 3
Component Area Option Core Requirement 3
MATH 1325 Calculus for Business & Social Sciences 3
POLS 2305 U.S. Government and Politics 3
 Hours15
Spring
ACCT 2302 Managerial Accounting 3
Component Area Option Core Requirement 3
Life & Physical Science Core Requirement 3
MISY 2305 Computer Applications in Business 3
POLS 2306 State and Local Government 3
 Hours15
Third Year
Fall
ORMS 3310 Data Analysis and Statistics 3
BLAW 3310 Legal Environment of Business 3
ECON 3310 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3
ECON 3315 International Economic Issues 3
MISY 3310 Management Information Systems Concepts 3
 Hours15
Spring
FINA 3310 Financial Management 3
MKTG 3310 Principles of Marketing 3
ECON 3311 Intermediate Microeconomics 3
ECON 3312 Money and Banking 3
Economics Elective 3
 Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall
MGMT 3310 Principles of Management 3
ECON 3322 Managerial Economics 3
Economics Elective 3
OPSY 4314 Operations Management 3
MGMT 3315 Business Communications 3
 Hours15
Spring
ECON 4310 Introduction to Econometrics 3
Economics Elective 3
Upper-level Business Elective 3
MGMT 4388 Business Strategy 3
Non-Business Elective 3
 Hours15
 Total Hours122

Courses

ECON 1301  Introduction to Economics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Non-technical introduction to the structure and functioning of the aggregate economy and selected specific markets.  Basic concepts regarding how markets function, regulation,  monetary and fiscal policy in a macroeconomic context and some special topics of contemporary relevance are studied.  Students are introduced to the basic concepts used in the social and behavioral sciences for measuring and interpreting economic and business conditions. This course cannot be taken to fulfill the Business Core or any Business Major requirements. It is recommended that students who might be interested in majoring in business or economics, take either ECON 2301 or ECON 2302 instead.

TCCNS: ECON 1301  
ECON 2301  Macroeconomics Principles  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

An overview of how the economy of the United States is organized and functions in a market price system. Market processes are used to show how resources and incomes are allocated by households and businesses. Determination of national income, employment, price level, interest rates, and growth are the focus of simple analysis techniques. Monetary and fiscal policies are examined including their international dimensions. Satisfies the social and behavioral sciences component of the University core curriculum. A student taking remedial courses in Basic English (ENGL 0399) and/or Mathematics (MATH 0300) is not recommended to take this course concurrently.

TCCNS: ECON 2301  
ECON 2302  Microeconomics Principles  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Demand and supply, consumer behavior, elasticity, production costs, perfect and imperfect market structures and models of the modern market price system are analyzed. Emphasis is on use of marginal analysis to determine prices, output, income and economic welfare in a market price system. Satisfies the social and behavioral sciences component of the university core curriculum. A student taking remedial courses in Basic English (ENGL 0399) and/or Mathematics (MATH 0300) is not recommended to take this course concurrently.

TCCNS: ECON 2302  
ECON 3310  Intermediate Macroeconomics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Theory of the determination of aggregate income, employment and prices is examined. Focus is on the microeconomic foundations of aggregate demand: consumption, investment, foreign trade, and government. Macroeconomic models from the basic through the complete model are examined for the U.S. and global economies.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 and 2302).

ECON 3311  Intermediate Microeconomics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Examines supply and demand analysis, consumption theory, production theory, structure and performance of firms, efficiency of markets, and determination of general welfare in a market price system.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 and 2302).

ECON 3312  Money and Banking  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Description of the operations of banking and other financial institutions, examination of the basic tenets of monetary theory, analysis of monetary policy and its contribution to economic policy.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 and 2302).

ECON 3315  International Economic Issues  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Evaluates and analyzes various contemporary issues in international economics, using elementary economic theory and recent economic and financial data. The course includes issues such as economic integration, regionalization and globalization, international trade issues, the structure and role of international economic organizations, the foreign exchange market, and economic issues in developing countries.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301).

ECON 3316  Environmental Economics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Uses economic analysis to examine the underlying causes of environmental and natural resource problems, as well as alternative policy issues. The choice of environmental protection goals and the means of achieving them are analyzed and applied to the cases of air pollution (local and global), water pollution, and toxic pollution. The environmental policies of various countries are compared and studied from an economic perspective.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 or 2302).

ECON 3320  Public Finance  
3 Semester Credit Hours  

This course examines the role that government plays in the economy. The course discusses the conditions for economic efficiency to be achieved and circumstances where a market fails. It also presents the concepts of public goods and the aggregation of individual preferences into collective priorities as expressed by the general public through the political process. Topics include taxation, welfare economics, environmental and health externalities, cost-benefit analysis, and government budget.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 or 2302).

ECON 3322  Managerial Economics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

Emphasis is on the use of economic principles to make sound business decisions. Students will use economic analysis, knowledge of markets and organizations to address real-world problems. The course emphasizes the role of the business economist as a member of the management team trying to find ways to improve the use of resources available to an organization.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2302).

ECON 3335  Labor Economics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

The study of labor theory and labor market processes to explain how household labor decisions are made and how household incomes are determined. The effects of labor market imperfections, and the effects of business decisions and labor unions on labor market outcomes are also evaluated. Provides an overview of the U.S. labor movement, including its impact on federal legislation; labor theory; and contemporary labor issues. The effects of federal legislation are examined, including those on the competitiveness of U.S. labor in a global economy.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 and 2302).

ECON 4310  Introduction to Econometrics  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

A study of the analysis of quantitative data, with special emphasis on the application of statistical methods to economic problems. The course covers the theory and practice of ordinary least squares regression, application to economics and finance, and selected special topics. Topics include heteroskedasticity, multicollinearity and autocorrelation, qualitative independent and dependent variables, and simple time-series analysis. ECON 2301, ECON 2302, ORMS 3310 (or MATH 1324 or equivalent) and Junior standing or above.

Prerequisite: ECON 2301 and 2302 and (ORMS 3310 or MATH 1324).

ECON 4325  Economics of European Integration  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

An introduction to the economics of Western Europe, and by implication, the economic functions of the institutions of the European Union (EU). Students are introduced to economic policy issues which are currently of concern in the European Union, and the analysis of economic problems which are of particular relevance to European Union member states. These include (but are not limited to) the theory of customs unions, optimal currency area theory, the single market, competition policy, and the external trade and development policies of the EU.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301 and 2302).

ECON 4388  History of Economic Thought  
3 Semester Credit Hours (3 Lecture Hours)  

A consideration of the philosophical basis, historical context, and development of economic thinking. Focuses on pre-20th-century economists-the Mercantilists, the Physiocrats, Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Karl Marx, and early neoclassical economists. Attention is also given to later economists and schools of thought as continuations and modifications of earlier ideas in economics.

Prerequisite: (ECON 3310 and 3311).

ECON 4390  Current Topics in Economics  
1-3 Semester Credit Hours (1-3 Lecture Hours)  

Selected topics for special study related to economics, the functioning of the economy or economic issues. May be repeated for credit when topics vary.

Prerequisite: (ECON 2301).

ECON 4396  Directed Individual Study  
1-3 Semester Credit Hours  

Individual supervised study and a final report.

ECON 4398  Internship in Economics  
3 Semester Credit Hours  

Supervised full-time or part-time, off-campus training in a service, manufacturing, or public sector position. Oral and written reports required.